Location-Based Routing Protocol with Optimized Data Aggregation for Vehicular Ad Hoc Networks (VANETs)

Vehicular Ad-hoc Networks (VANETs) are distinct from Mobile Ad-hoc NETworks (MANETs) due to their large-scale node population, potentially reaching millions of vehicles, and their highly dynamic nature. These networks play a vital role in enabling inter-vehicle communication to improve traffic safety and efficiency. Traditional packet-based routing protocols, which rely on direct packet delivery from source to destination, struggle to address the unique challenges of VANETs caused by high vehicle mobility. This paper presents an innovative routing protocol tailored for VANETs, leveraging geographic routing combined with location-aware data aggregation. Simulations conducted using NS-3 and Simulation of Urban MObility (SUMO) reveal that the proposed protocol minimizes message redundancy through aggregation techniques, all while avoiding the complexities of hierarchical structures